It took Cotuit 15 days to get its second win of the season last year. The Kettleers were 1-12 when they beat Yarmouth-Dennis June 25, just over two weeks past the opener.
The 2017 Kettleers needed just two days.
After a win over Bourne on opening night Wednesday, Cotuit rolled over Falmouth 10-0 Thursday at Lowell Park.
Eight of the nine starters who were in the opening day lineup were back at it Thursday as the Kettleers stuck with what worked.
Griffin Conine (Duke) led the way again with his second straight multi-hit, multi-RBI game. This time, he went 2-for-5 with a double and drove in two runs. College teammate Zack Kone (Duke) also had two hits and two RBI, as did Gian Martellini (Boston College). John Cresto (Santa Clara) – the lone new entry in the lineup – delivered two hits and two RBI as well.
Of course, Cotuit didn’t really need all that offense. Dylan King, who struck out a whopping 108 in 84 innings this spring at Belmont – ranking him in the top 10 among sophomores nationwide – fanned seven in four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Chase Cohen (Georgia Southern) finished off the shutout with ease, allowing three hits over the final four innings, as the game was called there due to darkness.
I guess the setting sun is about all that can slow Cotuit down.
Brewster 6, Hyannis 1
The Whitecaps also moved to 2-0 thanks to a second consecutive 6-1 win, this one over Hyannis. Brewster took an early 1-0 lead then pulled away late. Five different players drove in one run each, including Mickey Gasper (Bryant), who had knocked in two on opening night. Chandler Taylor (Alabama) scored two runs. Starter J.R. McDermott, who starred at D-II Colorado Mesa, went five scoreless innings for the win. Reece Hampton (UNC Charlotte) had a double and a triple for Hyannis.
Y-D 4, Orleans 2
The Red Sox held off a charge by the Firebirds to join the 2-0 club. In a good pitching matchup, Josh McMinn (Oral Roberts) out-dueled MAC Pitcher of the Year Joey Murray (Kent State), allowing two runs and striking out five in six innings. Y-D managed three runs – two earned – off Murray in four innings. McMinn had a shutout into the sixth when Orleans struck, but the Y-D bullpen held on tight. Three strikeouts in the ninth by Spencer Van Scoyoc (Arizona State) highlighted the effort. Kyle Isbel (UNLV) picked up his third RBI of the young season to lead the Red Sox offense.
Wareham 9, Harwich 0
The Gatemen broke the game open with seven runs in the sixth inning, but would have been fine without the burst as four pitchers combined on a shutout. Joey Matulovich (California) earned the win with four innings of relief after starter Justin Montgomery (California Baptist) struck out five in the first three innings. John Toppa (UConn) had a two-run single to highlight the big sixth inning, while Blake Sabol (USC) and Andrew Shadid (Bradley) had three hits apiece.
Bourne 4, Chatham 3
The Braves rallied from a 2-0 hole with three runs in the fifth and stayed in front the rest of the way. Lyle Lin (Arizona State) did most of the damage in the fifth-inning rally with a two-run single and also drove in a run in the seventh, which proved to be crucial when Chatham scored in the ninth to get within one. Tyler Barss (Rhode Island) allowed the Chatham run in the ninth, but with the tying run in scoring position, he struck out D.J. Artis (Liberty) to end the game, making a winner out of Brian Eichhorn (Georgia Southern). For Chatham, Josh Shaw (ASA College) had his second consecutive two-hit night.
What to Watch
Cotuit puts its perfect mark on the line at Veterans Field in Chatham against a starter with some of the best numbers of any incoming Cape pitcher. Jack Perkins (Stetson) had a 2.71 ERA and struck out 108 in his sophomore campaign.